Sri Lanka has launched a comprehensive programme to restore 296 minor irrigation tanks with over Rs. 5.8 billion in World Bank funding, combining regular rehabilitation work and cyclone damage repairs across 18 districts.
A significant infrastructure initiative to rehabilitate minor irrigation tanks throughout Sri Lanka has begun, supported by World Bank financing totalling more than Rs. 5.8 billion. The project operates under the Integrated Rural-Urban Development and Climate Resilience Project (IRDCRP) and is expected to continue through 2029, addressing both routine maintenance needs and damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The programme encompasses two distinct components. Six tanks in Polonnaruwa, Hambantota and Jaffna districts have begun regular rehabilitation work, with Rs. 256.2 million allocated for these efforts. A substantially larger portion of funding—Rs. 5.58 billion—has been directed toward restoring 290 tanks damaged by the cyclone across 18 districts. The affected areas include Badulla (97 tanks), Ratnapura (29), Mannar (24), Kurunegala (19), Kandy (15) and Vavuniya (15), among others.
The initiative aims to enhance water storage capacity and improve irrigation efficiency, ensuring farmers have reliable access to water for timely agricultural activities. Officials emphasize that the restoration work will strengthen agricultural resilience against climate-related hazards such as heavy rainfall, floods and droughts, helping farming communities adapt to environmental challenges. The Department of Agrarian Development is implementing the projects in coordination with farmer organisations and technical advisors.
Beyond immediate infrastructure repair, the programme is positioned as a long-term investment in agricultural sustainability. By creating more climate-resilient irrigation systems, the initiative seeks to safeguard farming livelihoods while building adaptive capacity across rural communities facing mounting environmental pressures.